Effective and easy-to-apply methods for speed reading and long-term memory retention.

Do you find reading books or study materials too time-consuming and easily discouraging? Whether you're preparing for a philosophy exam or simply skimming the morning news, reading can sometimes feel like a burden because it takes up so much time.

But what if you knew there was a way to read faster and more efficiently? Speed ​​reading is a skill that helps you absorb information quickly through skimming techniques and intense concentration. So how do you learn and master this amazing skill?

In this article, Tiptory will guide you through the most effective methods for speed reading and long-term memorization – helping you process documents, books, and study materials faster than ever before. Get ready to "accelerate" your reading comprehension and memorization skills!

Speed ​​reading tips to help you grasp the main points more easily.

You don't need to read every word to understand the content. Here are some simple ways to help you read faster and more efficiently, especially useful when studying or working with long documents.

1. Cover the section you've already read to focus on the next part.
Use a small card or bookmark to cover the lines you just read. This prevents your eyes from going back to the previous sections, saving time and maintaining focus.

2. Find the important keywords instead of reading every word.
Instead of trying to read every single word, pay attention to keywords such as proper nouns, adjectives, or prominent phrases. These words often contain the main idea of ​​the sentence.

3. Read the first and last sentences of the paragraph.
This is a quick way to grasp the main idea of ​​the entire paragraph. The first sentence usually introduces the main point, while the last sentence typically summarizes or concludes the content.

In summary: With these three simple tips, you can increase your reading speed while still understanding the main points – a useful skill for students, university students, and working professionals.

Part 1: 7 speed reading techniques to help you memorize faster and more effectively.

Technique 1: Set specific goals to improve your speed reading skills.

Speed ​​reading isn't an innate talent – ​​it's a skill you can absolutely practice and improve every day. Start by setting realistic goals and practicing consistently to see noticeable progress.

1. Practice regularly every day.
To read faster, you need to practice regularly. Dedicate time each day to doing speed reading exercises or measuring your reading speed (WPM – words per minute).

2. Set a target based on average reading speed.
Here are some common levels to help you set realistic goals:

• 200–250 words/minute: The average speed for someone aged 12 and older.

• 300 words/minute: The reading speed of an average university student.

• 450 words/minute: A speed suitable for skimming to grasp the main idea while retaining most of the content.

• 600–700 words/minute: Fast scanning speed for keyword research, understanding approximately 75% of the content.

• 1,000+ words/minute: This is the level of super-fast readers in competitions – who often struggle to remember details.

3. Be persistent for 2 to 4 weeks.
Typically, you can double your reading speed in just 2–4 weeks of consistent practice. Don't get discouraged – progress will come if you persevere.

Tip: Start at your current pace and set goals that gradually increase each week. Use a stopwatch to track your progress – and remember to focus on both speed and comprehension.

Technique 2: How to measure your reading speed (WPM) to track your daily progress.

If you want to read faster, you first need to know where you stand. Measuring your reading speed – or WPM (words per minute) – helps you set clear goals and track improvement over time.

1. Why should WPM be measured regularly?

• It helps you track your progress in real time during your workouts.

• Motivate yourself by striving to surpass your own highest speed.

• We help you identify goals that are appropriate for your current capabilities.

2. Simple manual WPM calculation method:

• Count the number of words per line , then multiply by the number of lines on the page to estimate the total number of words per page.

• Set the timer for 10 minutes , then read as usual.

• Record the number of pages read in 10 minutes.

• Multiply the number of pages by the number of words per page to get the total number of words read .

• Divide the total word count by 10 to get WPM.

For example:
If a page has about 250 words and you can read 4 pages in 10 minutes:
→ 250 x 4 = 1,000 words
→ 1,000 ÷ 10 = 100 WPM

3. Additional tips:

• Don't want to do it manually? Try online speed reading tests .

• Note: The reading speed on the screen may differ from that of a physical book – please check both if necessary.

Tip: Record your daily results in a tracking chart to easily see your progress. This will help you stay motivated in the long run!

Technique 3: Practice speed before practicing comprehension – tips to improve reflexes when reading quickly.

Some speed readers believe that increasing reading speed first, then improving comprehension, is the key. While there's no solid scientific evidence, this method is still used by many to train their eye reflexes while reading. You can definitely give it a try!

Here are some exercises to help you increase your eye movement speed – the first step to reading faster:

1. Use a pencil to guide your eyes along the line of text.

• Place your pencil on the first line of the paragraph.

• Move the pen along the line, and repeat the phrase "one thousand one hundred" (or "1,100") until the end of the line.

• Try to keep your eyes moving at the speed of the pen , don't read silently word by word.

2. Read at pen speed for 2 minutes.

• Even though I didn't understand anything, I kept my gaze following the pen .

• The goal is to get the eyes and brain accustomed to reading at a faster-than-normal speed.

3. Take a 1-minute break.

• Relax your eyes and mind for 60 seconds before moving on to the next exercise.

4. Increase the difficulty: read two lines at a time of “1,100” for 3 minutes.

• Move the pen or finger across two lines at a time , repeating "1,100".

• Continue reading at that pace for 3 minutes, regardless of how much of the content you understand.

Note:

• This is an exercise to improve eye speed, not to improve comprehension .

• Once you get used to it, you can combine it with comprehension exercises to comprehensively improve your speed reading skills.

Suggestion: Practice this exercise daily as a warm-up before actually reading. You'll see a noticeable improvement after a few weeks!

Technique 4: Use cards to cover up text already read to avoid rereading and increase speed.

When reading, your eyes often unconsciously return to words or sentences you've already read – a process called "regression." While common, this action doesn't improve comprehension ; it only slows you down. A simple trick to overcome this habit is to use flashcards or bookmarks .

1. Cover the part you've read to train your eyes to move forward.

• Use a small card, piece of cardboard, or bookmark to cover the part you just read.

• After each line, move the card down to the next line , without letting your eyes return to the previous line.

• This method helps train the eye reflex to look forward , supporting a natural increase in reading speed.

2. When should you pay attention to rereading?

• If your eyes dart back and forth across multiple lines in a row , it could be a sign that you're reading too quickly and not understanding the content .

• When faced with this situation, you should slow down to ensure you grasp the main point.

Technique 5: Reduce eye movement to read faster and more efficiently.

When reading, your eyes don't move constantly but pause at certain words – this is when you truly understand the content . However, if your eyes move too much, you waste time and easily lose focus. Limiting the number of eye movements (fixations) is one of the keys to increasing your reading speed .

1. Why is it necessary to reduce eye movement when reading?

• You only understand the content when your eyes are still , not when they are moving.

• Every time the eyes move (glance left/right), a period of time is wasted.

• Learning to read in phrases instead of individual words will reduce eye movement and allow you to read faster.

2. Practice exercise: focus your eyes on each phrase.
Materials: 1 index card, a pen, and a piece of text.

How to do it:

• Place the card over the first line of text you will read.

• Use a pen to mark an X at the beginning of each line.

• Add more X's spaced 3, 5, or 7 words apart, depending on your ability.

• Continue doing this until you reach the end of the line.

• When reading, focus your eyes directly below the X's , don't glance at each individual word.

• Move the card down line by line to continue reading in the same way.

3. The visual ability of the eyes when reading.

• On average, you can only clearly understand 8 letters to the right and 4 letters to the left of your eye position – equivalent to about 2–3 words each time your eyes stop looking .

• Even if you can "see" the letters from further away, you can't understand the content if your eyes haven't stopped there .

Technique 6: Reduce silent reading in your head to increase reading speed.

One habit that slows down reading speed is silently reading each word in your head – a practice called subvocalization . While this might help with memorization in some cases, it limits your reading speed to a conversational level , which is about 150–200 words per minute.

If you want to read faster, learn how to reduce or eliminate silently reading each word with these simple tips:

1. Why should we reduce silent reading?

• You don't need to read every single word to understand the whole sentence.

• Silent reading prevents the reading speed from exceeding the speaking speed , while the eyes and brain can process information much faster.

2. Ways to reduce subvocalization:

• Chew gum or hum/whisper softly while reading – keep your mouth busy to avoid reading aloud in your head.

• Place your finger lightly on your lips to remind yourself not to read aloud.

• Tap your hands or lightly tap your feet to distract yourself from pronouncing the word.

• Use your finger or a pen to follow the text , keeping your eyes moving steadily; there's no time to stop and read each word individually.

Note: You don't need to eliminate silent reading entirely – just reduce the frequency , especially when you're reading for the main idea, not needing to memorize details.

Technique 7: Use RSVP software to practice speed reading more effectively.

If you want to increase your reading speed without too many complicated techniques, try RSVP – Rapid Serial Visual Presentation . This is a type of software that helps you practice by displaying each word one by one on the screen at your chosen speed.

1. What is RSVP?

• This method displays individual words continuously on the screen, instead of having you read an entire paragraph.

• You can choose the display speed (e.g., 300, 500, or 800 words per minute).

• After each exercise, the software will check your understanding of the content , helping you balance speed and accuracy.

2. Some notable applications and websites:

• Spreeder : a speed reading software that allows you to adjust your reading speed and length, and track your progress.

• WPM Test : A simple tool to test actual read speeds using the RSVP method.

3. When should RSVP be used?

• Effective for short articles, news reports, or documents.

• It's not very suitable for in-depth study, note-taking, or recreational reading , as you can't easily rewind or grasp the overall text structure.

Part 2: How to effectively skim text: from the title to the key keywords

Step 1: Start with the title and headings.

To quickly grasp the content of a text without reading the entire thing, you can use the "skimming" technique – reading quickly to get the main idea. Here's a simple way to do it:

1. Focus on headings and subheadings:
When skimming, begin by looking at headings , subheadings , or phrases that are bold, underlined, or in a larger font size . These are the key informational sections that help you get an overall picture of the text.

2. Observe the overall layout:
Look at the overall picture – just like you would flip through a magazine to see the headings, or look at the table of contents in a textbook. This helps you identify the important sections before diving into the details.

3. Remember the purpose of reading:
Skimming isn't about understanding everything, but about identifying which parts need more careful reading . Therefore, use this technique when you need to quickly access information, select useful content, or prepare for more in-depth research later.

Step 2: Read the beginning and end of each section.

When skimming a textbook or a long article divided into sections, focus on the sections with titles relevant to the topic you're interested in. Then, read the beginning and end of each section. This is a quick way to grasp the main points without reading the entire thing.

1. Select the section according to the appropriate title:
Use the main headings or keywords to identify the section you need to research. For example, if you are researching the plastic bottle collection process , look for headings containing words like "collection," "recycling process," etc.

2. Read the beginning and the end:

• The opening section (introduction): helps you understand what the content will be about.

• The concluding paragraph (summary): usually summarizes the main points or emphasizes the important aspects.

3. Evaluate whether further reading is necessary:
If these two paragraphs show content that matches the information you need, you can read further to understand the details.

For example:
You want to know specifically how plastic bottles are collected. While skimming an article about recycling, you find the heading "Collection Process" and read the beginning and end of this section. If you find the information useful, you continue reading the entire section to understand it in more detail.

Step 3: Circle the important keywords in the passage.

To skim effectively and remember the main points, you should focus on small sections of the text and identify important keywords by circling or underlining them.

1. Break down the text and read it in sections:
Don't try to read the entire article at once. Choose sections or topics by title, skim through them, and focus on finding the most prominent keywords.

2. Circle the key words:
When quickly scanning a section, use a pen or marker to highlight the following words:

• Words that are repeated multiple times: These often express the main idea or important topic.

• Proper nouns: Names of people, places, organizations, etc., help you identify the context.

• Words in italics, bold, or underlined: These are words the author wants to emphasize.

• Keywords related to the title or heading: These give you clues about the main content.

• Words you don't know the meaning of: These could be technical terms or keywords you should research further.

3. Focus on keywords to understand the main idea:
By highlighting key points, you can quickly grasp the main content of a paragraph without reading every sentence. This is especially useful when you are doing research or need to select information quickly.

Step 4: Pay attention to the images, charts, and diagrams used for illustration.

When skimming through a study material or article that includes images , charts , or diagrams , don't ignore them. These visual elements help you understand and grasp the main content more quickly and easily.

1. Carefully observe the images and diagrams:
Visual elements often summarize the key information that a text conveys. Take a look at the overall picture and explore:

• Charts : Show trends, data, or changes over time.

• Diagrams : Illustrate the process or the relationships between components.

• Image : Evokes the context, objects, or related phenomena.

2. Read the captions and titles of the photos:
The accompanying captions usually summarize the content of the chart or image, helping you quickly identify its meaning and relevance to the content you are reading.

3. Relate to the content of the text:
Images are often placed near relevant text. For example, if you see a line graph showing the increase in plastic waste in the ocean , chances are the text next to it will discuss the impact of plastic on marine ecosystems . This allows you to quickly identify the section you should focus on reading more carefully.

Step 5: Read the first sentence of each paragraph when you get confused with the content.

If you feel lost while reading or don't understand what the passage is saying, try this simple trick: only read the first sentence of each paragraph .

1. The first sentence usually contains the main idea:
In most texts, the first sentence of each paragraph usually states the main idea that the entire paragraph will develop. Quickly reading these sentences helps you:

• Understand the main content of each paragraph.

• Guide yourself on which parts are worth reading more carefully.

• Avoid reading aimlessly and wasting time.

2. The benefits of getting "off-topic" while reading:
When you're reading and feel confused or lost , going back to read the opening sentences will help you reconnect with the main points , especially if the article is long or contains many technical terms.

3. Save time when searching for information:
This technique is very useful when you're looking for specific information, such as in research or exam preparation. Just by reading the first sentence, you'll quickly know whether the rest of the text is relevant or not.

Step 6: When to skim: A basic understanding is sufficient; there's no need to read in depth.

Skimming is a useful technique when you only need to grasp the main idea or get a general understanding of the content without delving into details. However, knowing when to apply this technique is key to effective reading.

1. Skim when you only need to grasp the general content:
Skimming is very suitable in situations such as:

• Read the morning newspaper to stay informed about the main news.

• Find keywords in the textbook.

• Review the document to identify the sections that require careful reading.

2. Don't skim when you need to understand deeply:
If you are:

• Preparing to write an essay

• Do the analysis

• Studying for exams or for in-depth research?

...then skimming will cause you to miss important details , reducing the quality of your understanding or reasoning.

3. Consider your goals before choosing a reading method:
Always ask yourself: Do I need a thorough understanding or just a basic overview? If you only need a general overview, skimming is a smart choice. Conversely, if the content is important or complex, you should read it carefully.

Translated by Ashley Wright Nguyen .